After Grima
by frozenemblemsnozing
Summary: A year after Grima's defeat and reuniting Robin with the shepherds Ylisse is at a time of peace, but with the civil war over in Vlam growing to a realm wide scale they are preparing for another war. Meanwhile a Young assassin and his younger brother join the shepherds but don't know if the belong. Rated T for minor Language and some descriptive scenes with blood and stuff.
1. Intro

After Grima

Part 1

New kid in town

Intro

The realm of Ylisse was calm for a while. Other than regular trips around the kingdom and handling the brigands there wasn't much trouble. Lucina, The current commander of the Shepherds was for the most part in good spirits. Her father would be in charge but he currently is in the capitol Yistol taking a well-deserved break with his wife Olivia. In fact a good portion of the Shepherds were either in Yistol or else visiting their home towns. Cherche is in wvyern Valley wit Minerva, Donnel is back visiting his mom, and so on and so forth. Only a couple of the original Shepherds stayed while they made one of their final trips around the realm before coming home for the last couple weeks of the year. One of the few who stayed was Robin. Although not staying with his wife Cordelia, or Chrom he was helping his daughter Morgan who thought that this was a perfect time to put her skills to the test by becoming the main tactician for this trip. For the most part she was very good on her own but her dad was always there to help and add his input which she was grateful for.

Severa who was "trying" to be more considerate has been taking on extra chores and jobs around camp and has even to be seen smiling every once and a while. Also being the older sister she realizes that she needs to look out for Morgan since she still doesn't have her memory back. She takes it upon herself to tell off anyone who appears to be picking on her "Little Morgan" (she only says that when no one else is around). One person taking a lot of verbal and sometimes physical punishment from Severa is Inigo since he is constantly following around Morgan and asking for advice about girls. Although Morgan is clever she doesn't see that Inigo is trying to get advice to ask her out and not just some random girls he meets when in another town. Severa saw through this almost immediately when she overheard them last speak. After she confronted him with a dagger and warned him not to hurt her little sister. Although Morgan wasn't ever bothered by Inigo, she has been shrugging him off because of the added pressure she has now that she is making most of the difficult decisions. A Little deterred from this, and not knowing the real reason why he is being ignored, Inigo's smile is a little more forced and less legitimate.

Norie has learned a lot of skills hanging around Brady since they spend a lot of time together being in the infirmary together a lot. She can now heal most minor injuries learning from Brady. Brady also has learned a lot of new things from Norie. He is now practicing every day with a bow and arrow so he can prove that he can fight. Learning a lot from Norie he can now be left alone with a bow and arrow and not be a danger to all in the camp. He can almost hit the target every time. All of this and they are also going through Kilje's training program. She is pushing them to almost to their breaking points but they are determined to fight.

While Owain and Cynthia train together with their unorthodox fighting style with the catchphrases, weapon names, and signature move names; Laurent decides to make a case study about the two. He wants to see what drives the two to act in such a way with their personalities. Although he has collected a lot of notes he has seem to have "misplaced" them every so often. What he doesn't know is that Yarne is secretly stealing them so he can copy them down so he can learn how to be brave like Owain or Cynthia.

Nah has been practicing also, she is trying to work so she isn't so tired when she transforms and turns back again. Since she is so young in a manakete life cycle she isn't use to changing like her thousand year old mother, being only a teenager in human years. She is also has been seen, not hanging around with Gerome, but with his wyvern future Minerva. Sometimes as a dragon and sometimes not. Gerome is incredibly annoyed by this and has yelled at her quite a few times but has seem to have simply gotten over it for how many times she does it. He also noticed that Minerva is a lot happier having someone else who is not Cherche, Lon Qu, or Gerome giving her attention. It makes her easier to care for in Gerome's mind so he (although never admits it) is very thankful for Nah's hospitality to Minervakins.

Everything seems to be going smoothly for the Shepherds and they will be soon home and Lucina can't wait to see her father again. Being away for a month felt like she was back in her old timeline when he was killed. She couldn't bare it for much longer. Even if she knows of the war that is slowly moving closer from Vlam again (why do they like fighting over there she thought) the time of peace was upon them now and she was grateful for it. But what lucina doesn't know is that how short of time their time of peace really is.


	2. Chapter 1

After Grima

Part 1

New Kid in Town

Chapter one: Almost home/The unexpected guest

After what seemed like forever it was time to head home. Lucina and Inigo will be back with their parents once again, as well as the other sons and daughters of the shepherds who stayed behind. Everything was going as planned. They fought through a few hordes of risen with little to no trouble (minor injuries) and were just outside of Southdown.

"Just a small setup tonight," Lucina said to everyone "we leave at dawn and we will be at the capitol around eight o'clock." A small murmur of excited talk arose from this because everyone was really excited to be home for the last month of the year. Mostly because Exalt day was fast approaching. This was the day that the first Exalt defeated the Fell dragon long ago with the famous Falchion Blade. On this day they have feasts and gifts are occasionally given. This year will be very special for Lucina because of their success many months ago ridding the Fell Dragon forever. "Gods this month will be one I need." Lucina thought to herself. "Father I'm almost home."

"Hey sis?" came a voice from outside the tent

"Inigo." Lucina answered. "What is it?"

"I'm going to have to bunk with you tonight." Inigo said coming into the tent. He is a tall man with hair about the same color as his sisters, and one earing in the shape of a fang one of his ears. "There are no more beds in the boy's tent since Brady isn't in the hospital tent." Inigo said with a slight yawn in his voice. It had been a rough day for them since they had to bypass a small village because they fell behind schedule at Southdown. It was incredibly rough for Inigo since Morgan tripped and twisted her ankle, he offered to give her a piggy back ride for the last half mile of the trip,

"Ok just step out for a bit I need to get ready." Lucina said going slightly red in the face. Being older it is a little bit more embarrassing then when they were kids.

"No problem," Inigo replied "I'm gonna take a stroll around camp see if anyone needs my help."

"Don't you mean to see if Morgan needs help?" another voice chimed in. It was Severa

"I.. Why... I'll... I'm leaving..." Inigo said, leaving; his face was very similar to the color of a cherry.

"What did you need Severa?" Lucina asked with just a slight giggle.

"Something one of my informants from the nearby village told me when we you sent me with a scouting group." She said sounding concerned. Lucina's face turned from slightly bashful to worry.

"What did he say?" She asked very concerned.

"Well," She began, "He didn't have the exact details but a leader of a Ruffian group, Capa, is in this area and he was spotted conversing with man who was doing an street show with his family, The family checks out but the main man is apparently a very skilled assassin." She finished sounding far more concerned for her personality normally would be.

"capa..." Lucina thought. "This is very troubling news. My father has spoken of Capa before, he is ruthless." Lucina sighed "Who else have you told?"

"Robin, Morgan, and a couple of the lead guards," she replied, "They are asking others to help out with guard duty right now but I'm going to set up right next to your tent tonight just in case."

"You have my gratitude Severa." Lucina replied with a slight sigh of relief.

"Don't mention it. Severa said with a sight tint of red in her face. "Seriously though, Don't." She heads into the next tent kicking out some of the main guards to setup in there. Having Severa close by will make her feel safer knowing someone who is very skilled with a blade, someone she would like to say is her friend (maybe best friend) by her side.

* * *

"Seriously though, Don't." As Severa kicks the guards out and have them patrol she sits on the makeshift bed. She normally doesn't do nice things to people. Why is she all of a sudden, willingly on guard duty? For the Exalts son and daughter even? The man who ruined her life because of her mother, why is she protecting his children. She paces a bit not knowing what she thinks of the situation. Then it hit her. Morgan. Inigo wants to be with Morgan so badly, and she thinks that Morgan likes him as well, she just doesn't know it yet. She is doing this for her sister, not the Exalt or his kids. Without Inigo, Morgan will be an emotional wreck. That is why she is doing this.

* * *

"I can't believe those two." Inigo says kicking a fallen branch out of the way. "Why can't I just get the damn courage to talk to her about how I feel?" He slides down the side of a tree and starts grabbing little rocks and takes aim at a stick that is stuck into the ground. One hit, two hit, three hit, four...

"Is that you Inigo?" Said a voice off to his right

"Who? Morgan?!" Inigo replied dropping his rocks and standing up quickly. Too quickly as his head hit a low hanging branch.

"Are you ok?" Morgan asks with a giggle in her voice

"I'm fine thanks." He replies. It's a good thing its dark he thought, she might not see the embarrassment growing redder and redder in his face. "Why are you out here? You should be resting your ankle"

"I's fine, I actually came to ask what are you doing out here?" She replied sounding worried. "Severa just told me."

"What did she tell you?" He asked haste fully, hopping she had not told her his feelings.

"You don't know?" She asked getting more concerned "Her informant in the nearest village said there was a man in this area seen talking with an assassin. I wanted to make sure you were ok." She said blushing, although Inigo can't see it.

"Why would you check on me? Why not Lucina?" Inigo asked "She is the one you should worry about." His voice a little shaken for the very thought that Morgan came to see if he was alright over the true heir to the throne.

"Be..because I worry about you more." Morgan stampers out. "You go above and beyond for me and I didn't know why, but when you carried me today I realized why you do those things for me." A cloud drifts from behind a cloud and they are bathed in moonlight, with them a single red flower sprouting from the ground. Inigo grabs it from the earth and walks toward Morgan

"For the one I love" He says both aware of how much their faces resemble the color of the flower.

"I would accept it... But that flower is poisonous" She says with a giggle.

"Ahhhh!" He drops it seeing how inflamed his hands have gotten.

"Don't worry," Morgan reassures him as she grabs a nearby leaf from a very small tree. "This should south the rash and it will be fine by morning." She is holding his hands in hers rubbing them with the leaf. "Nothing could ruin this night" Thought Morgan.

* * *

"Come on now gather around!" Says a man about early twenties. Wearing a distinct black came that has a hood and on his side a balaclava type mask hangs off of one of his straps on his gear that he is wearing with slight armor on his shoulders and knees "You are about to have an amazing show, you don't want to miss It." people start gathering around as an older women in a very elegant performing dress (The man's mother no doubt) plays an upbeat tune on a harp, accompanied by a man in a very formal suit, suited for this performance (her husband) playing a trumpet, but with such precision he is not drowning out his son or his wife. Then from the second floor balcony of the village monastery jumps a young man also with a cape and slight armor, around his late teens doing flips and twist in the air and lands with such grace (the man's brother) unknown until he lands there is a bundle on his back, in it a baby girl no more than a year old (obviously the youngest of the family). The crowd oo's and ah's at the entrance. "Alright folks how are we doing?" The crowd responds with excited chatter and applause. "Let's start this show right, with a little song and dance." The man picks up a drum and his brother grabs a mandolin and the husband and wife start to dance with such grace and form to go along with the music. The show goes on and they do a quintet with their instruments and the youngest son does an amazing acrobatics routine.

"We are nearing the end of our performance." Says the husband "We never got to introduce ourselves to the audience, I am Reginald Milstein."

"I am Geneva Milstein!" Says the wife.

"I am Holmes Milstein!" The youngest brother says "And this is baby Lesya Milstein!"

"And I am Ress Milstein" The man tells the crowd. "And now for our finale, the arts are in many ways are very straight forward, you see a painting you know it was painted, and you hear music you know it was made by an instrument." Ress explains to the audience "But there is one art form that people don't know how it is done." He walks towards a man "You sir might I ask you for your assistance?"

"Why, of course lad." The man says walking towards the center with Ress.

"What is your name good sir?" He asks loud enough for everyone to hear.

"My name Capa" He says, Shaking Ress' hand. The audience became discomforted almost instantly when his name was announced. They shifted back and forth uneasily and a lot of the faces lost their excited smile and contorted to a very deep look of concern

"Alright Capa, now I take it that you might have some sort of blade on you other than your sword? I mean you seem like you would since you have the look of a warrior, Am I right folks?" an agreeing applause is scattered from the crowd, "How weird" Ress thought, and no matter the show must go on.

"As a matter a fact I do" Capa tells him "It is right in my left part of my over co... Wait where is it?" his eyes drew cold as he stared at Ress

"Like I said there is an art form that is not straight forward" Ress says. "Now if I were to reach into my pockets I won't be able to find anything but if I were to all of a sudden reach into this basket over here on this bench," He motions toward the basket "I would be able to pull it out." Which he does with tremendous applause.

The show ends and the Milsteins are packing up inside the monastery where they are staying the night since there is no hotel or room at the inn.

"What a show." Says Geneva "But Holmes I thought we agreed only three flips from a balcony that height while you have Lesya on your back."

"I only did the last one because I had more of a running start from inside than i thought i would."

"Just be more careful son" Reginald chimed in. "You will get more freedom to do what you want when we get to Yistol. You won't have Lesya on your back there."

"Good because I was thinking.." Holmes started but there was a disturbance in the entry room on the other side of the door.

"Tell me who you are and what you want then we will talk." came Ress' voice from the hall.

"I'm the man who will kill your family if you don't do what I tell you" said Capa. His eyes are cold just like they were during the performance. At this phrase as though scripted by his men they busted into the monastery and started to surround the Milsteins binding and gagging them. "Ress, rumor has it you have another skillset then just pickpocketing and magic tricks. Am I correct?"

"Why... who do you need me to kill that you can't kill yourself?" Ress responds not trying to keep it from his family, they knew he only took contracts that had good intentions behind them.

"That's the thing Ress, I want a certain figure head killed and I know I can't really be seen where he is without raising suspicion or even risk being struck down if I get close to the building he is in." Capa explains "I know you only take hits for 'the good of the people' so I am giving you an incentive to take a contract from me." His eyes flickered as almost as if they changed from the flush blue to a blood red.

"Spit it out then!" Ress yelled

"Uh-Uh Ress," He said in sort of an evil sing song tone "Don't get so anxious on my account, but as you wish." He gives him a stare that Ress will never forget, "I will kill your family unless you can kill the Exalt of Ylisse, Chrom."


	3. Chapter 2

Small Changes for context

After Grima

Part 1

New Kid in Town

Chapter two: Loss of self

Ingio returned to the tent with more enthusiasm than he ever had. Lucina although nervous felt safe with her brother and Severa by her side.

"Hey sis." Inigo said with a huge grin on his face

"How was your walk?" She responded wondering what could make him so happy right now, he obviously does not know what has happened.

"Words cannot describe it my dearest sister, I feel as though my life can be complete." He said with much poetic gusto and a little dance twirl, not embarrassed to have done a dance move in front of his sister (at least not right now).

"So I take it you saw Morgan?" she replied

"In a short tale, yes I have, and if I am not mistaken I will be seeing her for the rest of my life!" Inigo said doing another twirl almost kicking his makeshift nightstand over. "Opps," he said starting to get rosey in the face now.

"Inigo..." Lucina said with both worry and a slight smile at her brother's mistake. "I have something serious to tell you."

"Now sis before you say anything, Morgan did tell me what was going on with the ruffian in the other village, don't worry about your little brother, I am going to be fine." Inigo reassured his sister "And you will be too."

"But brother this man, Capa, He is one of the men who helped burn the castle back in our original timeline." Lucina said, upset that her brother wasn't taking this seriously. "I thought you would be a little more careful about this situation."

"I know it's a serious thing but Lucina..." he pauses "Morgan and I are toghether now" His face now almost fully red

"You mean... That's wonderful." She says very enthusiastic and a little louder than she realized

"Shuuussshhh keep your voice down, you're the only one who knows, keep it on the down low for a while, let us deal with the Ruffian first, then we celebrate." He goes outside and changes quickly and comes back in to settle down. Lucina turns a nob on the lamp, it dims, and they slowly drift to sleep.

* * *

Ress has been traveling all night long since his second meeting with Capa. Wiping some of the tears away for the fifth or sixth time, he doesn't know what he is going to do. He knows he can get into the castle but could he get to the upper levels where Chrom could be, he has broken into the castle before just for fun but now he is going to have to exit with some attention. He has on him a long bow, an iron sword and a curved dagger from his original father. His real parents were killed by brigands when they believed he had stolen from them (Which he did) when he lived in Pelgia. He blames himself for their deaths he ran away to Ylisse and vowed to one day avenge his parents, he became a skilled killer but the Milstiens turned him around and taught him to forgive his parents killers. Now his second family is in jeopardy and if he does not succeed. He does not want to be responsible for his second family's death.

* * *

It is almost noon now and the Shepard's are almost to the gates of Yistol, They are all in very mixed spirits. Inigo obviously happy, Morgan trying not to look to excited to have spent the entire journey north with him, Owain is a little disgruntled having lost a bet with Cynthia now having to give up one of his prized daggers. Nah is flying around with Minerva to much of Gerome's dismay. Lucina, Severa, and Robin are in their own world talking about the info they gained the previous day, wouldn't something have happened already? They will be at the capitol just at sun down.

"This is odd. Why didn't they strike last night, they would have had the advantage." Robin said, "I caught one of the guards sleeping on our west side, a direct line towards the small village in question."

"You think that the assassin as well praised as he is would have done something by now." Severa chimed in. "What has he done so far, you said you had his record."

"Well although he is a very skilled marksman he takes his target out with a dagger and he leaves a playing card in the wound of his victims." Robin said reading a scroll. "For the most part he has taken jobs from some of the leading officers of Ylisse who can't get close to high end targets, That's why we have such a good record of him, he doesn't seem too take jobs from street thugs or mob boss's" He finished.

"Do you think he is at a loss for work then?" Severa asked. "Getting desperate and taking unsavory work. That's what I did before you guys found me."

"No this is different, you say he is a street performer Robin?" Lucina asked

"Yeah and they seem to do well. They are even booked to be at the capitol today before they perform at the courtyard of the castle tomorrow."

"That's it, that's when it is going to happen." Lucina exclaimed.

"We have to cancel that show when we get back." Severa said.

"This will be difficult though, he has never had a missed target." Robin said.

"We must do it though." Lucina finished.

So time goes by and they reach the castle. They are very late due to the fact that everyone is praising them as they walk towards the palace. "I need to get to dad" Lucina thought. They reach the castle gates and as soon as they open Lucina, Ress break out into a sprint, followed by Inigo, Morgan, and a very tired Severa who apparently didn't get any sleep.

* * *

It is nightfall and Ress is in the castle, it was a lot harder this time because he needed to get to the living quarters, and not wanting unwanted attention to an attack he had to do it with no casualties. Sneaking around he made it to a closet just across the Exalts study. He hears voices inside, One a man another a woman.

"Chrom I think that is them," says the woman.

"Must be," Chrom replies "Go meet them. I'll be down in a minute."

"Ok my dear." Says the woman who has to be Queen Olivia. She leaves. Chrom is in the study all by himself. It's now or never. He leaves the closet and walks across the hall into the study without a sound his scarf over his face and hood up. Chrom is facing a window and watching the gates open and he sees some of the figures sprint pass Olivia. All of a sudden Chrom is startled and then he turns to go see what the commotion is and he is met with a side tackle he hits the ground hard.

"What the hell!" He shouts but he isn't on the ground for long he gets up but not before Ress takes Falchion from him and tosses it aside. They are face to face. Chrom looks at Ress then Ress lunges again. Dodging Chrom rolls towards falchion. His hand grabs the handle and he looks just in time to stop a strike from Ress' dagger. With a swiping motion though Ress dislodges Falchion from Chrom's grip and it goes across the room again. Ress Raises the Dagger and looks Chrom in the eye.

"I can't." Ress yells. He tosses the dagger, still pinning Chrom to the floor. "I can't do it. I'm sorry I have failed you." he continues to yell. Fast footsteps come from the hall "I'm coming home father." Ress finishes with a soft voice only Chrom can hear.

"What do you mean?" Chrom asks

"I...I...I'm sorry your highness..." Ress loosens his grip with his legs. As he does the door burst opens and Lucina and the others come in. With this distraction Chrom kicks Ress off of him and grabs falchion and holds it to him.

"Who are you?" he asks looking his attacker dead in the eye.

"I guess it won't matter. My name is Ress, a street performer... I'm also an assassin." He says in hope to lighten the mood.

"So you have no quarrel with me. I'm just a job for you?" Chrom asks him but he seems to sound sympathetic with this question. Or maybe it was just Ress' mind

"Not just a job. A job to save..." He is cut off

"If I may interject your highness." Fredrick arrived just shortly after Lucina did. "This man just tried to take your life, I recommend using caution if you are to believe his tale. It might be something of an imagination."

"One thing is for sure he is a contract killer" Chimed in Robin. "We have record of him working for us in our books."

"Then why turn on us Ress?" Chrom asked now sounding enlightened at the new information.

"I was doing a show with my family in a village just south of here, we were planning on performing here as well."

"The Milsteins?" questioned Chrom. "You are one of the performers coming to town aren't you?"

"Yes we.." Started Ress but once again Fredrick interrupted

"Sir Do you really think now is the time for this story? I mean he..." He asked Chrom urgently but it was his turn to be cut off.

"Please sir, this man Capa has my family hostage!" Ress said louder over Fredrick

"Capa, I know that name." Chrom said as though he sees something the others don't. "Ress we must find your family now." Chrom said with a more urgent look than Fredrick has shown so far.

"Sir if I may you..." He began

"You said the same thing with Robin and look where we are now, Fredrick you and I both know Capa is a dangerous man, this kid has been forced to do what he has done tonight but he was too good of a man to do his work. He is not a bad person for fighting for his family, I would do the same… Emmeryn would not like it if we gave up on him right here." At this it was decided no one would dare try to change Chrom's mind. Not after that.

"Not to ruin the mood but I'm actually 21." Ress chimed in. "Not a kid."


	4. Chapter 3

After Grima

Part 1

New Kid in Town

Chapter 3: Dark reunion

"So we need an expert marksman. Do you guys know anybody?" Ress asked the group of Shepherd's companying him.

"Well that's the thing," Stahl said. He had only shown up after the incident but seemed eager to join them on this trip. "The guy we have, one of the best archers no doubt the best arch..."

"The ARCHIEST of Archers if one were to put it my good old friend." Came a voice from the entry way to the barracks. A tall man in a very elegant blouse with long hair as blue fresh water spoke the words "The name is Lord Vi..."

"This is Lord Viron," Came a woman's voice from right behind him. She was about a half a foot shorter than Ress with cherry red hair and was very pretty Ress noticed, even in her armor "He hails from Rosanne just off of Valm. I am Cherche former Vassal to the house of Viron."

"Since being Former Vassal to my house do you find it necessary to keep doing that to me?"

Viron asked Cherche with a very significant annoyance in his voice.

"No but I do find it rather amusing." She replied with a little spring in her step. "Now someone told me that you could use a pigs head, preferably freshly removed?" She asked Ress and without letting him answer she threw a bleeding sack at his feet.

"How did you..." Ress tried to say but just then a huge roar came from outside and Cherche just smiled. Ress walked out with Stahl and to Ress' amazement saw a Wyvern for the first time in his life. "Wow an actual Wyvern, I've only seen pictures. This is really cool."

"Better watch what you do around her, she doesn't trust new people that much." Stahl told Ress. It took a little longer for Minerva to warm up to me, but she realized that we were together so she has learned to live with me. I think she might even like me." He finished with a chuckle.

"Wait so Cherche is your wife. Don't you worry about her getting hurt or her you?" Ress asked as the get ready to move out with the group

"That always is a concern for us but we are always watching each other's backs." He said with a very proud tone in his voice. "Besides she is the most skilled rider I have ever seen. Only one to rival her is our son Gerome."

"Son? Was he one of the few that came back from the future?" Ress had asked. He had heard the stories about what had happened and what the shepherds did to save the entire realm. He had always admired them. He was hoping he would be able to at least meet most of the shepherds one day but now that he was here, he didn't really like the way he got his wish.

"Yup," Stahl replied. "He wasn't really about the whole saving the world thing but he came around and realized it was his choice to control fate." He finished and was about to say something

else when he was cut off by a girl who cut in front of him and had her hand on her blade.

"I don't fully trust you, I'm sorry if I come off black hearted but you did try and murder my

father so I want you to make this very clear," She looked him dead in the eye, Ress noticed the Brand

in her left eye. "If you are lying, you will most likely be put to death. If you betray us, I will be the one to strike you down, if you run we will put a bounty on your head." She said, Ress didn't think this was going to be how the princess would be, based on all the stories at least. "No one tries to ruin my family." Her cold eyes started to water up, all Ress did was nod.

"Alright let's move out!" Robin yelled to the small convoy that they had rigged up for this mission. They had a group of 11 people. There was Robin, Cherche, Stahl, Viron, Lucina and Ress.

Chrom was with them as well but he was inside one of the two wagons and he was not to come out until Ress' family was safe. The other three Ress saw the night before, there was Frederick, the one who seemed to have want to throw Ress to the noose, a man who was about the same height as him and had the Exalt brand in his right eye, he must be Inigo. The other two we both girls, one with black hair and had some sort of grimace on her face that he seemed to have recognized, he can't remember where though. The last girl had bright red hair and she seemed to follow Robin around a lot. Related? Maybe he thought but it didn't matter. What matters is getting his family back.

* * *

"Capa, look at this." said a man who was gazing into a cauldron. "It seems as though he is going to do it." Capa walks toward the cauldron, a huge smile comes across his face, as he watches Ress go into the closet across the hall from the room Chrom is in. They turn to face their hostages. "What should we do about the family" He nods to the Milstiens currently gagged and tied up. The three of them knelt down at the back wall of the church with the baby in a little basket on the table next to them. Little to the knowledge Holmes has been sawing his rope with a loose piece of wood that has fallen off of one of the beams on the wall. He is almost through, if he could pass it along to his parents him and his dad could spring up and take out the two guards, while...

"Kill them." Capa says so everyone can hear.

"MUHHHHAHANNGGNG!" came from Geneva struggling to get to her daughter. At this they all look to her and all of the sudden Holmes breaks through and springs up on his guard and stabs him in the throat with the piece of wood, he grabs the bandit's sword and very luckily blocks an arrow with the now almost limp body of the guard. Reginald's gag comes out.

"Take Leysa and RUN!" he yells. Holmes didn't need telling twice. He grabbed the bundle and climbed the banister, dodging arrows. He made it up to the window he had jumped out before and looked back at Capa striking down his father and mother with the look of pure joy. He jumped out and ran into the forest. Tears filling his face. His sister didn't make a sound, not knowing what had just happened.

* * *

"Alright. I'll go in give him 'Chrom's Head' and then get my family, then Viron, you better be better than they say you are. I want to see an arrow in his head." Ress said. "After that then we need to fight to get out of there. That's when everyone burst into the room." He finished. They are just outside of town He walks a little ways from the group of shepherds and sits under a tree. It's about 2 hours from sun down. "I just hope we are not too late..." Ress whispers to himself. He looks at down at his hands and realizes that he is crying. The group of shepherds all look at him then turn back into the group.

"What do you make of this guy?" came an interested Stahl. "I mean we talked earlier and he seemed alright." Stahl's voice now sounding sympathetic "I think he is telling the truth."

"Well we will find out in a couple hours now won't we?" Robin said with curiosity and anxiety looking as though are taking a toll on him. "He knows how to make a smart plan but I think it was a little, well I don't know, too good of one for him to come up with so fast."

"So you think I'm a rouse?" Ress' voice came from behind them. They all jump a bit with surprise. "Look, I know you don't know me but let me tell you this. If I truly wanted to kill Chrom, he would be dead. I wouldn't be here, and you would be gathered around a six foot hole in the ground.

My family is currently tied up and gagged in the back of a church and as of right now all I can do is sit and wait until dark." He looked at all of them. "I don't know how much you think you know what is going on but this is something that is not going to fail. I'M NOT LOSING MY FAMILY!"

"But you were going to take away mine..." came a soft voice from behind them. It was Lucina.

"You know nothing of what it's like to lose a family, NOTHING!" her voice echoed though the small clearing they were in. I have lived in a time where my entire family was dead. The only one with me was my brother and now that I am here I have them back, so if you think for one second you might have been justified in your situation you are going to find yourself disappointed and wrong." Her voice was just as cold as it was earlier, and with that, the camp didn't talk much after that.

"Lucina, I'm not saying I am justified." Ress says "But you might be the one disappointed and wrong one day."

* * *

Ress now goes up to the church door, pig head in hand as Viron is set with his arrow drawn, on one knee in an alleyway across the street. But as soon as he takes aim his eyes grow big and then lowers his bow. He then turns to the wall beside him and throws up. Stahl and Robin who were next to him ask what was wrong.

"Stop... Ress... Don't let him see... His... Family" He manages to get out between gags.

Robin and Stahl get up and run towards Ress but too late. Ress has open the door to find his Mother and Father postilion and fixed hanging from the statue of Naga. Their stab and slash wounds a very vibrant red. Their blood like oceans on the floor.

"Ress..." Robin started, but didn't know what to say.

The rest come in to see what has happened Chrom hidden between them they look and see Ress on fall to both knees. Then he turns around and sees Chrom standing there now in the front of the group.

"I didn't kill you... and there dead now..." His voice shuttering with a mix of emotions. "If I would have killed you, I would have been able to see them again..." He stands and takes a step forward but before he was going to do another person walked in, He was holding a bundle of blankets.

"Ress Stop!" It was Holmes. The group parted, half of them didn't know what to do with the boy.

"Holmes you're... you... How" Ress face now filled with tears.

"I was able to escape," Holmes replied, he too was starting to cry, noticing how his parents have been shamed. "Dad told me to run with Leysa,... So I did." He started to quiver "...I saw it happen... His face...Pure evil..." he almost dropped Leysa because of how nauseating it was to see his parents.

"Here let me take her." Morgan said. Holmes obliges, which is very fortunate because he immediately passes out. A couple of the shepherds gasp while Inigo picks him up and lies him on one of the pews. Ress still on his knees looking at his foster parents hanging there. The only person who knows this though is currently unconscious.

"Sire," Frederick says to Chrom in a mildly hush voice. "We should get them back to our camp.

The longer we are here the worse it will become for these two." His voice of concern sounding very much like when he was concerned for Chrom's safety the other night.

"You're right. Let me." Chrom says "Ress?" His voice calm and relaxing. "Come on. Let me take you with us for a while. We will take care of this situation ok." Ress nods his head. He slowly gets up and turns. Barley able to walk straight Chrom helps him walk out of the monastery. As they pass Ress looks Lucina in the eye. Hers full of sympathy and more or less apologetic for what she had said earlier that day. Ress couldn't make it out though he too had passed out just before the door.


	5. Chapter 4

**SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE**

**Between classes and work I am really busy but I finally got the time to work on this**

**I like to finish a chapter ahead before posting and chapter 5 has been kicking my butt. Trying to bring in more characters to re-introduce to the Milstines has been a real hassle since I need to accurately write for the characters I bring in so I don't misrepresent them. Characters who have a very diverse vocabulary like Laurent and Owain are tough. Anyways I am polishing chapter 5 and will be starting chapter 6 soon. I will also throw in some random supports for the two OC's with pairs I won't be putting them with in the main story.**

* * *

After Grima

Part 1

New Kid in Town

Chapter 4: Sorrow acceptance

When the Shepherds returned to the camp they didn't stay long. They had two unconscious strangers and their baby sister with them. They didn't really have the right kind of setup to hold them there for the night so they rigged up one of their wagons to hold the two while they marched through the night. Luckily for them the moon was bright and they had a lot of oil to fuel the lamps they had brought. Lucina never left the wagons side, she felt so foolish for what she had said. She doesn't even have the slightest idea what she will say to him when he wakes. "And what about his siblings" she had thought. The one can only be about one or two years old.

"Lucina?" Inigo came around the wagon and picked up his stride so he was walking next to his sister. Dawn just breaking the horizon, the sun would be up in about an hour. "How are they doing?" His normal smile has been gone for a while. The sight of the bodies were still in his mind too since his face hasn't lost its sickly look to it.

"I haven't really checked on them," She said. "I feel as though it would be inappropriate for me to go in there." She doesn't want to give the wrong impression but she also doesn't know what they will do if they woke up, will they be violent? She would rather not be the one to find out first hand because she doesn't want the situation to get any worse than it is.

"Alright ill check on them." Inigo said climbing the moving wagon. There was somewhat of a tent covering it, not a coach wagon but it was working. But as Inigo jumped up there was a voice from inside.

"We are fine." It was Holmes. Starling Inigo he had fallen on his rear. Holmes looked out the back and immediacy leaped out of the moving carriage. He held a hand out to help him up.

"Thank you." Inigo said growing red in the face for his fall. "I normally am good at catching myself but..."

"Enough small talk." Holmes said cutting him off. "Where are we going?" He demanded.

"We are going the Capitol." Lucina answered. The wagon and the rest of the convoy stopped and most of the shepherds were now listing very intently. "We will be safer once we get there." She added.

"Where are my parent's bodies?" He asked his voice starting to shake again.

"We have them in our second wagon." Chrom said. Coming up to him. Holmes started to ask about his sister but was cut off. "We have her. Morgan our young tactician has been keeping good care of her. Isn't that right?"

"Right." She said holing Leysa in the same bundle, she appeared to be sleeping. "She is doing fine. Would you like to hold her?"

"No not right now. I think I'm still..." His physical state is not well right now. As much as he would love to hold his baby sister he couldn't risk dropping her.

"I understand." Morgan said as she rocked Leysa back and forth. "Do you have anything to feed her?" She asked. The baby started to struggle and it seemed that she wanted something.

"Here." He opened his pack and had a small bottle. He handed it to her. She took it and started feeding his sister. Inigo not liking where this was going, grew even redder than when he had fell. He didn't like the idea of her playing the mom role, but given the circumstances he decided to keep quiet.

"What now?" Asked Robin.

"I'll tell you what." Came another voice. "We go and kill the bastard." It was Ress. He was up but unlike how he looked last night, he seemed determined. There was a fire in his eyes that not even his brother could recognize him.

"Not in this state you're not." Chrom said, stepping towards him. "You need to think about what you are going to do next. Not just go for blood."

"I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT!" Ress yelled. "HE NEEDS TO BE KILLED!" he was trying very hard to suppress a tear that had formed in his left eye. Chrom noticed and at this his demeanor changed from demanding to sympathy. He couldn't be harsh with him right now. Not when he was like this. "You think so too right brother?" Ress said seeking for his brother's support but it wasn't where he wanted it to be.

"I do agree," He started. "But we need to plan this more than anything. We don't know where he is, we don't know how many men he has either." Holmes said very diplomatically. He always was the one to try and see all the details. They always thought he would leave and become a general with all of his problem solving and logistical skills.

"But... But..." Ress started. Then it hit him. His brother was right, they were at a loss of information on this guy. They had only just met Capa 3 days ago, they thought he was just another spectator. "Alright." Ress said. With that he hopped up into the wagon and stayed there the rest of the ride.

With the convoy moving again Holmes decided to walk with the group and eventually was able to carry Leysa again. As soon as he got a hold of her he didn't let her go. Not after last night. Although Morgan was really enjoying taking care of he she needed to get back to her duties as a tactician, Inigo was relieved too. Not that he thought this but he was worried this kid out of nowhere was going to steal the girl of his dreams. The Convoy was led into the back gates to not arouse attention. They didn't think that these kids needed to see the people laughing and greeting them all with all the praise in the world.

* * *

They had a funeral for their parents. Ress blacked out and Holmes had to be brought a chair after almost falling into the grave himself and this time Olivia was the one who took the baby. They were buried at the base of a cherry tree in the back garden of the palace. The tree was as pink as Olivia's hair and made the sorrow scene seem out of place but seemed to be the perfect spot since they didn't have a hometown. It was out of reach from the regular public and it seemed special have their own spot to rest. Their tombstones didn't have a date, name, or saying, but it had a Bass clef for Reginald, and a Treble clef for Geneva.

"Ress." Chrom said coming up behind him. Ress just continues to stare at his step-parents grave. "I know this is hard, so that's why I wanted to do something for you." Ress turned to look at Chrom, wondering what The Exalt could do, what he would do. "I want you to live with us here at the palace. We can help you too have a good life and help take care of Leysa."

"Are you adopting me?" Ress asked he didn't know how to feel about this, being adopted a second time. "Are you sure?"

"If you want to put it that way yes." Chrom said. "Besides, the shepherds could use someone of your skill. Being able to sneak into my own study is impressive in many rights."

"Well.." Ress said starting to feel a little better. "It wasn't hard. I use the hole by the maple grove that's been there for years." Ress suddenly froze. They haven't know about that for years, they could be attacked any moment.

"I know what you are thinking." Chrom said "I know about the hole. There is only one other person who knows about it." He said turning a faint red. "I kind of put that there when I was training one day." They looked at each other and laughed. This was unreal to Ress. First being in the Exalt's presence was extraordinary enough, now not only was he laughing with him, he is now going to be living with the royal family. Ress then saw the brand on Chrom's shoulder and just wished he had one. Wished he was blood related to them. They are good people and he knows they will be in good hands.


	6. Chapter 5

After Grima

Part 1

New Kid in town

Chapter 5: Meeting the Crew

"It is with a heavy heart that brings us here today but with those heavy hearts I hope that we can come back and use this loss as something we can learn from." Chrom said acknowledging the shepherds. There were a lot of somber looks around them, and those where there the night before were especially down. Looking around Holmes saw one girl in particular who seemed much deterred. She was crying but she was not one of the group who picked them up. He thought it was Chrom's sister Lissa and the man next to her was trying to comfort her but wasn't doing a very good job. From the looks of it he didn't do well when it came to women.

The main group of the shepherds were discussing what to do next as regards with what had happened or their plans for the huge festival this week (the festival that the Milstiens were supposed to perform at). Lucina was pacing back and forth. She was waiting for Ress. She felt horrible for the way he treated him and she knew she needed to give him a sincere apology. Her nervousness must have shown since Inigo came over and pulled her aside.

"Everything all right?" He asked. "You look nervous." His eyes looked intense, worrying about his sister he just wanted her to calm down.

"I need to speak to Ress..." She said "I said some unfavorable things to him and I must apologize." The brand in her eye gleamed as she spoke, a beam of sunlight came through the window as a cloud outside moved. They both looked out and saw Ress, he was talking but there was no one there. What was even more bizarre the way he was facing? "Is He?..." Lucina asked.

"What is this?" Inigo said going closer to the window. "Is he? He is! He's talking to a wall." He exclaimed. They exit the barracks and as they get closer they see that he has cards in hand, and then all of a sudden they are gone, then back, then gone. "Ress!" Inigo said quite loud since they were still a ways away. Ress looked over then pocketed the cards. He meets them about halfway between the barracks and where he was standing. "What was that?"

"What did it look like?" He replied "Practice."

"For what?" Lucina asked.

"My performance." Ress said with a sort of 'what else would it be' tone. "I almost have it down now."

"You're still performing?" Inigo asked. "After what has just happened. What if Capa shows up?"

"Not this week. I'm going to lie low for a while." Ress said. "I know if I show my face in a public setting I'm risking a lot more than just my life." his eyes trailed towards his parent's graves. "I'm not going to make that kind of mistake." He muttered but they could hear the despair in his voice. That's when Lucina piped in.

"Ress I..." She started. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for not trusting you. I know how you must feel, losing family like that, we all do." A tear fell down her cheek. Inigo put a hand on his sister's shoulder and then started to head back to the barracks. "To know you will not get them back is a pain that can kill the spirit..."

"Stop." Ress said abruptly. "Like I said before. You will find yourself wrong. Disappointed, maybe but wrong, defiantly." He stared to walk away but as he was next to her he said "But I forgive you."

* * *

The next day the preparations for the festival were taking place and the barracks was bussing with excitement. A group of some of the female shepherds including Cherche were gathered talking about something to do with a gift exchange, Cherche not from around here seemed excited. Holmes was walking about the training area where there was a girl training by herself very excluded from the others and a very lively dual was taking place. He took up a training lance and started practicing with a wooden dummy. He wasn't ready to spar so he decided to watch then try and mimic the moves a girl with pig tails was doing. Feeling as though that a lance was not his strong suit he decided to pick up a sword. He knew his way around a blade like this so he started mimicking the boy she was dueling. This is what he felt was comfortable with. He noticed that two people were watching the dual more closely than he. 'Weird' he thought. One was a boy who looked like he was some sort of mage. He was taking intense notes on a pad of paper. The other was a boy who was some sort of half human. He knew what they were called but he couldn't remember. When he last read about these kind of people he had read that they were extinct.

"Grip more towards the hilt." Someone said behind him. It was Inigo. "When swinging the blade like that you want to have it closer to your body." Inigo took to the dummy next to him and showed him the move he did and it hit with more velocity and dug in deeper to the wood (for a practice blade to do that is impressive).

"Thanks..." He didn't know what to think about Inigo. He felt tension with him ever since they met. Maybe it had something to do with that girl Morgan. He seemed kind of close with her, or maybe it's because of something else, he doesn't know what else it could be though. Soon they began matching moves, each one with more force than the next. Soon the two boys that were watching the sparing match were watching Inigo and Holmes. The boy taking notes was watching in awe and had dropped his pencil because of how vicious they were attacking the practice dummy. The two dueling became distracted as well (the girl practicing alone however barely glanced at them) they soon damaged their dummies so badly that they both broke apart, they then turned and tried to strike each other and their blades met. Stuck in a standstill blades still pressed against each other they stared into each other's eyes, hate almost in each of them. If not hate then a strong dislike. A glare swept passed the brand in Inigo's eye as the door opened.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?" Yelled Morgan. Followed by Ress, Lucina and two others he hasn't met yet. Morgan pulled Inigo away from Holmes as Ress ran to aid his little brother.

"Good timing" he thought. He was going to lose that if he had continued Inigo's hight advantage almost put him on one knee.

"Are you all right?" Ress asked Holmes of so it was just them

"I'm fine, I just..." He paused for a moment. "I don't know, there is a lot of tension between us, and I think I know why."

"Well whatever it is you are going to have to handle it, In a CIVIL manner, we are going to be living here, we don't want to kill the prince all right. We had enough murder scandals on royalty already..." A tear came down his face. "I know too soon." He wiped it off and gave his head a quick shake to get rid of the nerves before turning back to the others. "Anyways we have been looking for you. Lucina wanted to introduce you to some of the people here."

"Well there are still plenty of people to meet but these are almost all of us who came back in time." Lucina said. She beckoned the others to come over. All but the girl training did. "Everyone this is Ress and Holmes."

"Hyyyiieee" Said the girl with pig tails. "I'm Cynthia, It's a pleasure to meet you." She did some sort of a skip to give them a handshake but then tripped on a piece of wood from the dummies "ohhff" She tumbled, Ress lent out a hand to pick her up then she gave them both a handshake although her face was rather red.

"Good day my friends, Alas our paths were destined to cross one day and here we stand" The man she was dueling said very loudly, with great arm movements "I say what a great day it is for our..."

"This is Owain." Cut in the mage. "A rather eccentric fellow. My name is Laurent. Might I say what a wonderful show you put on there?" He said to Holmes "Might I observer one of your training sessions soon I'm running a study on battlefield and training behavior and your session was quite illuminating and could help deeply with my research."

A lot to take in Holmes let out a confused "Sure?"

"Excellent!" He said, "Excuse me but I must get back to my lab. I have to organize my notes." He left in quite a hurry. Fast enough to slam the door that the other boy who was watching the dual jumped and screamed.

"AHHHHH" He yelled almost tripping over his own feet. "Oh... Sorry. heheh" He pulled himself together and walked toward them. "I'm Yarne. I'm one of the last two taguls in existence so I am a little jittery around dangerous stuff." He said scratching the back of his head. "Now if you will excuse me I need to go. I have important business too."

"Now that that little charade is over. I'm Gerome, nice to meet you, good, now bye." And he walks out without saying a word.

"Never mind him," Said the other girl. She was about to Holmes mouth in height and had pointed ears. "I'm Nah, Nice to meet you." She noticed that Holmes and Ress were looking at her ears. "I'm a Manakete, Part dragon. I age way slower and can turn into a dragon, Kind of why I look like a kid but I'm about the same age as you guys. So DON'T treat me like a kid." She winked at Holmes and Ress. "I have to go Lucina, I must pray to Naga." There was something about that wink though that made Holmes feel funny. Cautious, Curious?

"Very well. Thank you." Lucina responded. "Well that is pretty much all of us that came back from the future."

"What about her?" Ress asked. He pointed to the girl still training.

"That's Kjelle, don't think she is in the mood to talk, she missed a couple hours of training yesterday." Inigo said. "You don't want to be the one who stops her now."

"But like I said," Lucina continued. "There are still a lot more Shepherds. Three more that came back from the future with us, Severa you have met but the other two, Brady and Norrie are in the hospital tent with minor injuries." She saw the look concern appear on their faces.

"Don't worry they are there all the time. Small stuff, non-life threating" Inigo said. "I think you should go too." He said noticing the gash in Holmes' left arm. A piece of the dummy must have hit him in the arm and it was bleeding a fair ammount. "Wouldn't want you to lose too much blood now would we" He said with a slight hint of sarcasm that everyone caught.

"Inigo!" Morgan said with a disapproving voice.

"It's fine. I'll get it checked out." He said. Before he left he 'Accidently' bumped into the sword rack where only Inigo's blade rest upon, knocking it over. "Woops," and he left.


End file.
